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The Capture and Destruction of 
Columbia, South Carolina 



FEBRUARY 17, 1865 




PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND RECOLLECTIONS OF 

Major H. C. McArthur 

Fifteenth Iowa Infantry Volunteers, A. D. C. to General W. W. Belknap, 

Commanding Crocker's Iowa Brigade, 

Seventeenth Army Corps 



22 



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Headquarters Crocker's Iowa Brigade 
Fifteenth Iowa Infantry Volunteers Regimental Association 

Washington, D. C, Auc/i(st 1, 1911. 
To Crocke;r's Iowa Bri(4ade : 

One of Iowa's boy soldiers from 1861 to 1865, and proud of it, and 
knowing the keen and patriotic interest always manifested by her citizens 
in the exploits of her " Boys in Blue," I beg to submit the following 
narrative of my personal experiences and recollections of the capture and 
destruction of Columbia, S. C, February 17, 1865. This story of fact is 
the fulfillment of a promise made years ago to the Fifteenth Iowa and 
Crocker's brigade comrades. In recent years many of my comrades in 
Iowa have repeatedly called my attention to accounts in the National 
Tribune, written by the members of the Thirtieth Iowa Infantry, relat- 
ing to who was the first to enter and raise the Stars and Stripes in the 
city of Columbia, S. C, February 17, 1865. I was a member of the 
Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, and at that time aide-de-camp on the staflT of 
Brig. Gen. William W. Belknap, commanding Crocker's Iowa Brigade, 
Seventeenth Cor])s, and being the person who first suggested the under- 
taking of crossing the Congaree River in front of the city, and urging 
the attempt be made, with others successfully accomplishing what we 
started out to do, namely, raise the first flag over the statehouse of South 
Carolina, I have a right to speak authoritatively of the enterprise. 

For several years after the war closed we often heard through the 
National Tribune accounts of how members of Colonel Stone's Iowa 
Brigade, Fifteenth Corps, entered the city first and raised their colors on 
the Gatehouse. All of these erroneous assertions ceased in 1873, when 
the claims against the United States for damages of about a million and 
a half dollars were brought by British subjects before the British Claims 
Commission for cotton destroyed during the destruction of Columbia. It 
was then the facts were officially brought out. The Confederate general, 
Wade Hampton, was the principal prosecuting witness. If it could be 
proved that an}^ of Sherman's army set fire to the cotton the United States 
would be liable to the value of the cotton destroyed. General Hampton 
testified very positively that members of Sherman's army set fire to the 
cotton. General Sherman did not believe his soldiers fired the cotton. He ^ 
was not where he could see, yet he believed he was nearer the advance of 
his army when entering the city than General Hampton was to the rear of A 
his army when leaving it. General Sherman, continuing, said : " I now 



remember, however, that a small 'party from the Seventeenth Army Corps 
crossed the Congaree River in front of the city, advanced through its 
streets and raised their colors over the statehouse in advance of all 
other troops, and reported stragglers of the rebel army pillaging stores and 
firing the cotton which was piled along the main street ; that I [Sherman] 
had treated the exploit informally at the time, but the actors, if living, 
will now come forward as the most important witnesses for the Govern- 
ment, because members of that party entered the main street of the city 
three-quarters of an. hour before the advance skirmishers of Colonel 
Stone's brigade of the Fifteenth Corps." (See letter of General Sherman, 
Sept. 12, 1873, in Washington Daily Chronicle, Sept. 15, 1873.) 

WHO FIRED THE COTTON. 

General Belknap, our brigade commander, was Secretary of War at 
the time and furnished General Sherman with the names of the officers of 
the party. The officers were Lieut. Col. J. C. Kennedy, Thirteenth Iowa, 
Maj. William H. Goodrell, and myself, of the Fifteenth Iowa, both mem- 
bers of Belknap's staff at the time. Each was directed to execute his 
separate affidavit setting forth the facts, and all of us were communicated 
with by the Secretary of War August 22, 1873, and directed to hold our- 
selves in readiness to appear in Washington before the British Claims 
Commission. Our several affidavits were regarded conclusive. They 
were deemed sufficient to establish the fact that tlie cotton destroyed at 
Columbia was fired by stragglers from the Confederate army, and the deci- 
sion was rendered in favor of the Government. Thus our early, sudden, 
and successful dash for the statehouse that eventful morning saved to 
Uncle Sam a vast amount of money. 

WE WERE EYEWITNESSES. 

Neither Colonel Stone, any of his brigade, nor any of the Fifteenth 
Corps were called on for evidence. They were not aware of any of these 
facts, all of which occurred before their entrance into the city, but did 
occur while four Crocker Brigade men were rushing along Main Street 
that morning. 

For many years after 1873 no attempt was made to deprive the 
Thirteenth Iowa Hag the well-merited honor of being placed first over 
the statehouse. I have been fie(piently urged by many comrades, and 
others, to make a detailed statement of the inception and consummation 
of the undertaking. I realize the importance, too, of each participant in 
acts of this character making statements of the things as they actually 
occurred. 



THE EXPLOIT. 

Though more than forty-five years have passed since that morning, the 
stirring events, and they were stirring, are as clear to my mind as if they 
occurred but yesterday. 

Thursday, February 16, 1865, Crocker's Iowa Brigade — the Eleventh, 
Thirteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Iowa Infantry — Fourth Division, 
Seventeenth Army Cori)s, went into camp on the west bank of the Con- 
garee River opposite Columbia, S. C. General Belknap and his staff 
were viewing the city from the top of a bluff when General Sherman 
and his staff rode up. After taking a survey of the city through his 
field glass, General Sherman turned to General Belknap and said, " Gen- 
eral, it will be a great honor to the men who first enter the city and un- 
furl the first Stars and Stripes on that historic old statehouse." In the 
old statehouse building was where the first ordinance of secession was 
passed. I heard General Sherman's remark. I turned to Major Goodrell, 
also of the staff, and said, " Let us make an effort to cross the river." 
He enthusiastically agreed. Belknap's permission was obtained and 
Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy, a brave and daring young officer in com- 
mand of the Thirteenth Iowa, with a squad of his regiment, volunteered 
to accompany us. 

CROSS OVER IN A LEAKY BOAT. 

The bridge, about half a mile below, had been destroyed by the Confeder- 
ates, but we found an old rickety, leaky, flat ferryboat, similar in shape to 
that used on the Iowa rivers in 1856-1860. For packing purposes the 
negroes found a bunch of flax tow ; we also used some of our flannel 
shirts, torn in strips. We labored all that afternoon and late into the 
night repairing, calking leaks, making oars, etc. The negroes were of 
great assistance to us. They were greatly surprised that we would at- 
tempt the crossing in that old boat, declaring it would not hold together 
half way across that rough and swift river. The Confederate pickets on 
the opposite side of the river were firing on us, and our pickets returning 
the fire vigorously. Three of our men were wounded the afternoon of 
the 16th, one killed and one wounded the morning of the 17th. About 
9 a. m., Friday, February 17, 1865, all was ready. Recent shots gave 
us every reason to expect hot work while crossing or when reaching 
the other shore. We divested ourselves of shoes and outer garments, with 
instructions to jump into the river if the firing got too hot and endeavor 
to keep the boat between ourselves and the enemy and drift, if possible, 
back to the west bank. Everyone not at the oars had a gun with supply 
of ammunition, each keenly watching the other shore, ready for action. 



When the word was given to "cut loose," we numbered twenty-four, 
inckiding the three officers. As the boat swung out into the stream three 
of our uuml)er jumped into the river and waded back; this leit twenty- 
one all told. We pulled for a small island near the other shore, reach- 
ing it without much difficulty. Some of us crawled up through the willows 
to "spy out the land ; " I assure you we scanned the bank in every direc- 
tion most carefully and critically, but could see no one. We knew the 
Fifteenth Corps was to come down from the north after crossing the 
Saluda and Broad Rivers, which form the Cougaree a short distance 
above Columbia. We returned to the boat, donned our clothing, pulled 
boldly and rapidly around the point of the island to the shore, and rushed 
up the embankment ready for most any kind of reception. To ouf 
great surpri.se and delight we found the Confederate pickets had been with- 
drawn ; we could see them about a quarter of a mile down the river 
marching away. A half hour's delay in starting on our part had, un- 
questionably, saved the lives of our scfuad from shot or drowning. We 
landed at the foot of a street running east and west and near an old mill. 
Arranging with negroes to return with the boat for more troops, we 
started immediately for the statehouse. 

IMPRESS A HORSE AND BUGGY. 

At a cross street we intercepted a man in a one-horse buggy, rushing 
south, evidently intending to escape the Fifteenth Corps, little expecting 
to meet us. It took but a moment to convince the owner that we needed 
the rig worse than he did. Dumping him and effects into the street, 
Major Goodrell and the color bearer, with the flag, banner, and a gun, 
jumped into the buggy ; Colonel Kennedy and myself, back to back, sat on 
the cross bar over the back spring and literally " hung on." After direct- 
ing the remainder of our party to follow rapidly, Goodrell put whip to the 
horse and he was soon on a dead run. We ran east until arriving at what 
seemed to us a main street ; with the statehouse appearing at the head of 
it. Here we turned south. No troops. Blue or Gray, in sight. Putting the 
horse under whip again we were soon going at breakneck speed. Within 
two blocksof the statehouse, in a side street, half a block ahead, I discov- 
ered a squad of Confederate cavalrymen formed in line, ready to tire. I 
shouted "lookout" to Goodrell, but before he could stop the horse we had 
covered the half block and reached the cross street where the cavalry had 
been standing. They had fired, overshot us, whirled, and were galloping 
away frantically. I sprang to the ground, snatched the gun from the 
h'lggy, and fired ; one of the riders fell on the edge of the sidewalk ; his 
body lay there most of the day. That shot was said to have been the last 



fired at a Confederate in Columbia that day. At tliis time we four men 
were at least half a mile from the balance of our party, the nearest Union 
troops, and surrounded by enemies. The mayor was at that time, as we 
learned later in the day, out making a formal surrender of the city to 
Colonel Stone, of the Fifteenth Corps. The rebel soldiers and citizens who 
witnessed our aj)proach undoubtedly knew the city was being formally 
surrendered and supposed the Union Army- were at our heels. Had the 
facts been known to them, they could, and certainly would, have over- 
whelmed and perhaps killed us four and captured our flags. Immedi- 
ately after the firing ceased many citizens came out of what we supposed 
to be a hotel near us, which, I now learn, was the old city hall. One 
kindly disposed individual had a pitcher of brandy and asked us to 
take a drink ; but we declined. We stood near the buggy and back 
to back the better to observe the approach from all directions, ready 
to act promptly on the offensive or defensive. The color bearer reloaded 
his gun, and with our revolvers drawn, with no gentle words either, we 
admonished those approaching to "Stand back, we will fill full of holes 
the first man getting too near, stand back." Very soon the negroes came 
rushing out shouting " Bres de Lo'd de Yankees hab come." I called 
one colored fellow, asking him if he knew where the old mill was located, 
and he said he did. I told him a squad of Union soldiers were coming 
up the street from the old mill, to run fast, meet them, say the flag had 
been fired on and to come doublequick. I think that boy jumped 20 feet 
the first jump, shouted " Bres de Lo'd," then flew. We remained in our 
isolated and rather perilous position until the rest of our party came up. 
On their arrival we deployed across the street and advanced to the Capitol 
buildings. We found two, the first unfinished, of granite and brick, 
doors not hung, no floors, no sash in window frames, no roof, no plaster- 
ing, a mere skeleton ; work thereon seeming to have been abandoned 
months before. Major Goodrell took the banner of the Thirteenth Iowa 
and, accompanied by the banner bearer, Jacob Binkerd, Company B, that 
regiment, unfurled it from the top walls of that building. 

Colonel Kennedy, the color bearer, with the flag, and myself crossed 
the street southwest, not over 200 feet away, to the old frame statehouse, 
ran up the outside steps and began forcing the doors open. The janitor 
came hurriedly with the keys, unlocked the doors, directed the way to the 
garret and to the top of the building. I distinctly call to mind how terri- 
bly dark and musty it was up in that old garret. We could not see our 
hands before us. The ladder leading up to the trapdoor was what we 
wanted. I succeeded in finding a small piece of scantling and soon 
knocked off a piece of siding to admit light. Then we all made a break 
for the ladder and soon were on top and had the flag flying. 




■f^-^-t^^^vI^^ 



Raising the Flag on the old Statehouse at Columbia 



LOCATION OF THE FIFTEENTH CORPS. 

At this juncture we cduIcI 8ee the deployed and advanced skirmishers of 
the Fifteenth Corps about a mile and a half north. In a few minutes the 
skirmishers rallied, then we felt much easier. Almost immediately our 
battery west of the river began a rapid fire. Then the Fifteenth Corps 
skirmishers deployed again on the doublequick. Imagine our anxiety. 
We feared the enemy had passed between us and the river, attempting to 
turn the right of the Fifteenth Corps. If so, a battle would be fought 
and probably death or cajiture would be our portion. A few minutes 
seemed like hours. Our battery ceased firing and it dawned upon us 
that the firing was a salute to the success of our undertaking. General 
Belknap and hundreds on the west bank of the river were anxiously 
watching for the appearance of the flag, and when Old Glory appeared 
the order to fire the salute was given and performed with a will. When 
the firing began, Colonel Stone, of the Fifteenth Corps, who was then re- 
ceiving the surrender of the city, did not understand it any more than 
we did. It was at this time to which the Thirtieth Iowa comrades refer, 
when Colonel Stone drew his revolver and informed the mayor in 
words with fire attached, if he proved treacherous his life would pay the 
penalty. The mayor fell on his knees, calling on God to witness his sin- 
cerity and honesty in surrendering the city ; that he had no knowledge 
whatever of the cause of the firing. Maj. R. D. Cramer, Thirtieth Iowa, 



who had command of the skirmish line, and who, I understand, advanced 
and received the mayor and party with white flags, was present and 
heard what was said. He has often told me about it and of their great 
surprise and anxiety when the battery on the other side and down the 
river from them opened fire. The major said he had his eye on the 
marshal, and would have shot him at the least show of treachery. I know 
Major Cramer ; he would have done just what he said. A braver or 
more gallant soldier Iowa did not enlist. At this point I desire to call 
particular attention to the fact that the identical time when the firing of 
our battery began and the city was being formally surrendered to Colonel 
Stone, of the Fifteenth Corps, and Major Cramer was deploying his skir- 
mishers again, and on the doublequick, the little squad from Crocker's 
Iowa Brigade, Seventeenth Corps, had already taken forcible possession 
of the city of Columbia, and were at that moment on the old and new 
State buildings with the Thirteenth Iowa flag and banner unfurled, while 
the advance skirmishers of Stone's brigade. Colonel Stone and the Thir- 
tieth Iowa flag with them, were yet one and a half miles north of the 
statehouse. Shortly after the firing (the reason for which was our ap- 
pearance on the statehouse with our flag) we were overjoyed to see the 
Fifteenth Corps skirmishers rallying again, and soon our troops marching 
toward the city. Colonel Kennedy directed our color bearer to remain 
with the colors, after which he and I went below. In a short time there- 
after, while standing in the rotunda and facing the outside door, the first 
person we saw enter was a lieutenant, rushing into the building with a 
flag, from the Ninth Iowa Infantry, of Stone's brigade, and inquiring the 
way to the roof. I asked him what he wanted to do. " Place my flag 
on this building," he answered. I took out my watch and said, " Lieu- 
tenant, we have had our flag flying three-quarters of an hour." In great 
amazement he said, " The hell you have, where did you come from ? " I 
answered, " From Crocker's Iowa Brigade, Seventeenth Corps," and ex- 
plained how we had crossed the river, etc. His very sensible remark 
was, "Well, it is all right so Iowa gets the honor." I have always re- 
gretted not getting his name. If he is living I would like to hear from 
him. I feel sure he will corroborate all I have said with reference to 
what passed between us on that occasion. 

THE THIRTIETH IOWA REMOVES THE FLAG. 

I now come to an unexpected movement on the Columbia trestle board, 
wherein the Thirtieth Iowa becomes very conspicuous. They say, "Every- 
thing is fair in war." I guess it is. At any rate, in this case it was a 
mighty good (I thought serious) joke on that squad of daring and usually 



vigilant boys of Crocker's Iowa Brigade. Let me tell it. After Colonel 
Kennedy and I had left the top of the building our color bearer con- 
cluded to get a relic of some kind from that old historic building. 
Securely fastening his flagstaff, thinking of course all would be safe, as 
we were now surrounded by our friends, he went down to the hall of rep- 
resentatives to see what he could find. On his return the flag was missing, 
and two soldiers of the Thirtieth Iowa had their flag unfurled. Colonel 
Stone's brigade. Thirtieth Iowa in it, had, about noon, taken formal pos- 
session of the city and were establishing provost guards. The Thirtieth 
Iowa boys declared and insisted no flag was found on the building when 
they aj)peared on the roof. Of course we knew they were not telling the 
truth, and told them so in very plain words ; but we were not at that 
time able to find any trace of our flag or staff. I assure you we were 
not in a very amiable frame of mind about it. When our brigade came 
over in the evening they would have come pretty near whipping their 
weight in wildcats had it been necessary to have recovered our flag. 
We did not see our flag again for two weeks. On March 3 our brigade 
had gone into camp near Cheraw, S. C. Troops were passing and some 
of the Thirteenth Iowa boys strolled down to the roadside and some of 
the passing regiments asked what regiment was camped there. "Thir- 
teenth Iowa," was answered. "Wonder if you would like to have your 
flag again." "Yes, we would," w'as answered eagerly, "What regiment 
is this ? " " Thirtieth Iowa." Several members of the Thirteenth Iowa 
followed the Thirtieth into camp, and found their jiaij secreted with one 
of the companies. They secured and returned it to the Thirteenth Begi- 
ruent amid great rejoicing. Each reader may figure out for himself how 
it was possible for Stone's brigade to have planted their flag on the state- 
house first, keeping in mind the fact that while the battery was firing a 
salute for us the Thirtieth Iowa with its flag and Colonel Stone were a 
mile and a half north of the statehouse. Had they destroyed our flag 
and not acknowledged the fact, it would have been more difficult for us 
to have satisfied others that our claim was true ; but such brave and loyal 
Iowa boys could do no damage to Old Glory, they loved it as truly as we 
did ; they preserved it to return to us. Our finding them " with the goods," 
however, was proof positive that our flag was flying over the statehouse, 
and found by them, as tiiey afterwards admitted, when they first appeared 
on the building. If those two comrades who found the Thirteenth Iowa 
flag on the building unguarded, took it down, took the flag from the staff, 
threw the statt'down in tiiat dark garret, secreted the flag and carried it 
away with them, as they admitted and explained to the Thirteenth Iowa 
boys when the flag was returned, will now come forward and tell us all 
about it, all will enjoy the narrative. We have forgiven you boys years 



and years ago. For over tweuty years after the war I was in business in 
Memphis, Mo., and lived a near neighbor to Maj. R. D. Cramer ; he 
resides there yet. I remember well when W. D. Sigler, of his regiment, 
brought the major in my place of business and introduced him as the 
major of his regiment. Thirtieth Iowa. After a few words, I said, " Oh, 
yes, I remember the Thirtieth Iowa, can never forget it, they stole our 
flag from the statehouse at Columbia, S. C." This salutation soon de- 
veloped a pleasant surprise for both of us. Our conversation soon brought 
out the fact that he was the officer who was in command of the advance 
skirmishers of the Fifteenth Corps, and I was one of the men of Crocker's 
Iowa Brigade, Seventeenth Corps, perched on top of the old statehouse, 
at Columbia, S. C, watching keenly every movement of his line of skir- 
mishers. I referred to their rallying as we first appeared on the roof with 
our flag, that almost immediately our battery opened fire, then his skir- 
mishers deployed again, on the doublequick ; how very anxious we were, 
not knowing at the time the cause of the firing. Major Cramer said, 
"Yes, I will never forget those anxious moments.'' Then he explained 
how surprised they were at the firing, that Colonel Stone at the time was 
receiving the surrender of the city, and suspecting the mayor of treachery, 
he, Stone, jerked his revolver out, telling the mayor his life would pay 
the penalty if he proved treacherous, as told previously herein. All of 
this was reviewed by Major Cramer in a most interesting manner. The 
acquaintance formed at that time has ripened into life-long friendship. 

SAW THE COTTON BURNERS. 

As we dashed up Main Street that eventful morning we passed in the 
middle of each block large piles of cotton. Confederate soldiers were 
pouring turpentine on the cotton and setting fire to it. The bales had 
been ripped open and tufts pulled up so that it would burn the more 
readily. Many stragglers of the Confederate army were pillaging stores. 
During the day attempts were made to extinguish the fire in the cotton ; 
but in the evening when the wind blew a gale the smoldering flames in 
the cotton were fanned into glowing embers again, which was soon com- 
municated to the frame buildings and all destroyed. General Belknap and 
staff" were in the saddle nearly all night rendering aid where possible. 

COMMENDED FOR THEIR SUCCESSFUL EXPLOIT. 

The undertaking of crossing the rugged Congaree in that old rickety 
boat was, as expressed in orders, hazardous and very dangerous. Gen. 
Giles A. Smith in official orders commended the officers and men for their 
successful exploit. 



AN HISTORICAL FACT. 

That the flag of the Thirteenth Iowa was the first Old Glory to float 
over that hotbed of secession, Columbia, S. C, February 17, 1865, three- 
quarters of au hour before any other flag could, under the circumstances, 
have been in the statehouse building, is an historical fact which can not 
be successfully contradicted. Take your medicine boys, there is glory 
enough for all. There is no discount on the grand fighting record of 
either the Fifteenth or Seventeenth Corps. They, as the Army of the Ten- 
nessee, stood shoulder to shoulder from Shiloh to Washington. Neither 
ever left a battlefield in defeat, neither Grant nor Sherman ever felt un- 
easy with them in front. But you must admit, my comrades, that Crocker's 
Iowa Brigade got away with your entire baggage wagon on that occasion. 
The next minute, had it been necessary, we would have stood with you to 
the death in defense of the dear old flag. 



VISIT TO COLUMBIA, 8. C. 

Several years ago, with my wife, I visited Columbia, S. C. We were 
on the ground near the old mill site. I passed again over the route of our 
dash for the statehouse of over thirty-seven years before. The unfinished 
building of February 17, 1865, had been completed only a few months. 
The State officers were old Confederate soldiers; they were very courteous 
and glad to see me. I informed them I was one of the party who raised 
the first flags over the old and new State buildings February 17, 1865. 
At my request one of the officers accompanied me to the top of the new 
building. The ground north appeared about the same as in 1865. I 
told him of the position and firing of our battery on the opposite side of 
the river. I also pointed out to him the location, as it seemed to me, 
where the Fifteeenth Corps skirmishers were in line and the point of 
rallying. He said, " Well, that is about the location where the mayor 
surrendered the city." I asked him the distance from the statehouse. 
He said, "A mile and a half or two miles." I then explained to him 
fully our exploit, etc. He seemed very much interested, remarked that 
it seemed almost miraculous that we made that crossing in safety in that 
old boat. The current of the Congaree River is very swift there now, as 
it was in 1865. 



AN EYEWITNESS TO THE FIRINCi OF COLUMBIA, S. C. 

There is one important feature about this Columbia achievement never 
given the consideration deserved. The result of that exploit, and that 

10 



alone, secured the necessary evidence which saved the Government not 
only about one and a half million of dollars, but refuted the dastardly 
charge made by the Confederates that "Sherman's army pillaged and 
burned a city which had been surrendered in good faith." I met and 
indignantly denied this charge when visiting Columbia a few years ago. 
I have read two books, one by a Confederate colonel, James Gibbes, en- 
titled " Who Burned Columbia," and the other, entitled " Butler's Cav- 
alry," in which they charge us with burning the city and other crimes. 
For garbled extracts, outrageous exaggerations, and misrepresentations it 
would be hard to get more in two books. The State officers expressed a 
desire to have me meet the author of one of the books — he resided there — 
and talk over matters. I had no objections ; but I did not meet him as 
he was out of the city. I learned, however, that he, at the time of our 
entering, was leaving the city with Hampton's cavalry. He, in his book, 
says, " I was 11 miles from Columbia that night," yet he claims to know 
just what occurred there. I told those present that I was an eyewitness 
to the Confederate soldiers firing the cotton and pillaging the stores, and 
it must be apparent to them that I knew more about it than he did, and 
I most certainly do. 

Persons reading "Who Burned Columbia" and "Butler's Cavalry," 
and believe what they read there about Columbia, without investigation, 
as so many do, must conclude that General Sherman, his officers and men, 
were the worst lot of unhung scoundrels on earth. Happily there is no 
foundation in fact to their serious charges. They are " ropes of sand." 
The city was destroyed and pillaged, that is certain. I was an eyewitness 
thereof. I was right there on the spot. Saw the first cotton fired that 
morning, saw the first pillaging done. It was about 10 a. m., February 
17, 1865, and at that time the Confederate soldiers were pouring terpen- 
tine on and firing the cotton as stated above. At the same time I wit- 
nessed other Confederate soldiers with silverware, jewelry, and other 
goods coming out of stores already broken into, and other stores being 
broken open. Let me mention one instance of pillage which drew our 
especial attention. Within two blocks of the old city hall, where we 
were fired upon and forced to halt, a Confederate cavalryman backed his 
horse up in front of a closed store door, spurred the animal quick and 
hard, causing it to kick viciously, and the doors flew open, and a ci'OW'd 
of Confederate soldiers were there ready for business, and the pillaging 
continued. We four men witnessed all of these acts of pillage by the 
Confederates while passing down and halting on Main Street about 10 
a. m., an hour before it were possible for Stone's brigade to have reached 
the city hall. We four were at this time one-half mile in advance of the 
remainder of our own squad and a mile and a half in advance of Colonel 

11 



Stone's brigade, yet all of this robbery, plundering, and firing is charged 
to General Sherman and his army. The time of day the mayor started 
to the front, the surrender made to Colonel Stone, and his entry into the 
city, as recorded . by the Confederates, agree very well with our own. 
General Hampton, Dr. Goodwin, the mayor, and Messrs. McKinzie, 
Bates, and Stork, the three aldermen who accompanied the mayor, and 
other citizens, all agree it was 9 o'clock a. m. when General Hampton 
notified the mayor, who, with the three aldermen, proceeded to the front 
and surrendered the city; and all agree, too, the surrender to Colonel 
Stone was at 10 o'clock a. m. This also agrees with the account by Gen- 
erals Sherman and Howard. It was very little after 10 a. m. when our 
party of four in the buggy reached the scene of depredations along Main 
Street. I find my own time of the entry of Colonel Stone and his brigade 
and the account of the Confederates substantially agree. Mr. Bates, 
one of the aldermen who accompanied the mayor and returned in the 
carriage with Colonel Stone, says, "It was about 11.30 a. m. when we 
arrived;" Colonel Gibbes says it was 11 a. m. when Colonel Stone 
reached the city. Although the Claims Court years ago decided the re- 
sponsibility of the fire rested with the Confederate army, the charges 
against Sherman and his army continue to this day to be iterated and 
reiterated. Only recently I received a letter from Mr. Brooks, the author 
of " Butler's Cavalry." Although I made no inquiry regarding the destruc- 
tion of Columbia, he could not resist the temptation to draw my attention 
to /tis account of Sherman's destruction of Columbia. I know positively 
Sherman's army was not responsible, and I know just as positively the 
Confederate soldiers were responsible, for its destruction. I was there, 
Mr. Brooks was not. I saw tufts of burning cotton from the piles fired 
in the morning by the Confederate soldiers blown to buildings, the build- 
ings ignited and consumed. I saw burning shingles carried by the wind 
and light on buildings blocks away and soon the buildings would be in a 
blaze. Mr. Brooks did not, he was 11 miles away. 

I am loth to dwell on these scenes of destruction. In my first article 
on the capture and destruction of Columbia, I had no desire or intention 
to particularize regarding specific acts of Confederate soldiers, but I find 
to protect our army from unjust criticism it is necessary to tell all the 
facts. For over forty years these charges have been continually and 
persistently hawked about. They are false. It matters not what orders 
were given by Generals Beauregard and Hamj)ton regarding the burning 
of the cotton. The fact remains and can not be successfully contradicted, 
that the cotton was being fired, which caused the destruction of the city, 
and stores pillaged, by the rear guard and stragglers of the Confederate 
army before we reached city hall on Main Street about 10 a. m., where 

12 



we were fired upon l>y what, we were informed at the time, was a part of 
the rear guard of Wheeler's cavalry. The book, " Who Burned Colum- 
bia," says Wheeler's cavahy passed down Main Street at 10 a. m., leav- 
ing the city, which leads me to remark, had our arrival been a few 
minutes sooner we would have encountered that force and been killed or 
captured ; no doubt about that. If tlie one-hundredth part of the mean 
deeds found mentioned in these books, asserted by the committee of 
" prominent citizens," and shown in the affidavits of sixty most " respect- 
able residents," all charged to General Sherman and his army, were true, 
then the British Claims Commission would not have been five minutes 
deciding the Government liable for the value of the cotton destroyed. 
But the court did not so find, neither will any well informed and reason- 
ably disposed person after careful investigation believe the charges 
true. Some of their charges are so rediculously absurd it is surprising 
that men with any claim to fairness wM)uld have printed such trash. 
For instance, they claim to have found a letter, written by one Lieu- 
tenant Myer, of Boston, Mass., belonging to a Massachusetts regiment, 
to his wife, saying among other disreputable things, " That the regu- 
lar forage detail was instructed daily to bring in all of the jewelry, 
silverware, etc., and have it divided among the officers and men. That 
he had at least a quart of valuable rings and pins, etc. That one of the 
corps commanders (a major general), disguised in rough clothes, accom- 
panied the foragers and proved one of the most accomplished pillagers." 
Both books publish this " prepared for a purpose " letter, and General 
Hampton and a number of the " prominent citizens " all refer to it as fact. 
I was in active service nearly four years, with Grant, then Sherman ; I 
was in the city of Columbia from about 10 a. m., February 17, 1865, 
until early morning of the 18th. In company with Major Goodrell took 
advantage of the horse and buggy we had captured and visited all parts 
of the city during the day of the 17th. Then when my horse came over 
in the evening I was in the saddle most of the night, riding with General 
Belknap from point to point in the city, aiding many helpless and aged 
people, ladies and children, frequently calling on the passing soldiers for 
assistance, and all responded cheerfully ; none declined. I continued as 
aide-de-camp through to Washington, always in position to see or learn of 
wanton acts or plunder. I saw no such disreputable actions as are charged 
to our army. They are not true. That there were isolated acts of pillage 
and crime we do not deny. There were bad men in the army as well as 
out. Four years of terrible warfare as experienced by our army must 
have produced some bad characters. It was not surprising if men were 
found here and there given to unlawful practices at times. No doubt 
there were such in our army as well as in the Confederate army. I 

13 



have no doubt there was destruction of property by some of our escaped 
prisoners. I will give a case. A citizen came to Major Goodrell and 
myself with the information that four escaped Union soldier prisoners were 
secreted in the garret of his house. He had been caring for them the 
best he could. He pointed out his house. We found the four soldiers as 
he had said. Although emaciated and little vitality left, they became 
almost wild with joy and excitement when they were sure we were real 
friends from the Union Army. They hugged us, they shouted, laughed, 
and cried. I remember one, a Sixth Pennsylvania soldier, and I feared he 
would go crazy sure enough. They told us of their abuse and hardships, 
especially of some "respectable citizens" of Columbia, too cowardly to 
enter the Confederate service, they and their wives would call at the 
prison, spit in the faces of the prisoners, call them measly Yankee dogs 
and poltroons, should be shot down like curs, and all manner of insult to 
helpless prisoners of war. I admit my own blood boiled with indignation 
during the narrative. During the night, when the fire was well under 
way, I met three of these men with other soldiers, and they were hunting 
tlie house of the men, and the men themselves, who had treated them so 
shamefully. I have always been satisfied if they succeeded in finding 
their man or men, justice would be meted out. Who dare say these Union 
soldiers were not justified in meting out justice as they thought best. 
However, we quit the strife in 1865, and we were in hearty accord with 
Grant's " Let us have peace," but the South Carolinians continue to sow 
seeds of discord from generation to generation. On July 15, 1911, the 
Washington Post contained the following dispatch : "After the South 
Carolina board of education adopted Thompson's ' History of the United 
States,' for use in the public schools during the next five years. Gov. Cole 
L. Blease objected to the book because it was neutral on the question of 
the responsibility for the bui-ning of Columbia in 1865. The governor 
insisted that the book should state that General Sherman burned Colum- 
bia, though this is a moot point. The author, ' Waddy ' Thompson, of 
Atlanta, Ga., to-day consented to put the blame on General Sherman. 
The author is a son of the late Hugh Thompson, formerly governor of 
South Carolina, and later Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under 
President Cleveland." Lovers of truth, justice, and right, what do you 
think of the above perversion of history ? Is it not time to protect the 
truth? We have remained silent for over forty years. Forbearance 
has ceased to be a virtue. AVe feel justified in bringing to public 
attention truthful statements for the purpose of protecting our record 
against the persistent and false accusations we find hawked about from 
year to year. South Carolina was the first, and her prominent citizens 
and politicians the most determined, in acts of disloyalty. They pro- 

14 



claimed that " One South Carolina soldier could and would whip three 
Yankees ; " that " South Carolina would end the war speedily ; " " Just 
stand back and see South Carolina do the fighting ; " and much of such 
nonsense. So long as the horrors of war were confined to other States, 
just so long was South Carolina bold, defiant, and full of self conceit. 
The moment the effect of real war was felt within her own borders, that 
minute she began to whine and lament in a very loud voice. They have 
made more complaint, fuss, and misrepresentation than all the other States 
together. No wonder the people of Georgia hoped " that Sherman and 
his army would give South Carolina hell — ^just what she deserved ; " and 
in North Carolina, the expression, "South Carolina has felt the heavy 
hand of war, she got hell from start to finish." The Southern States 
seemed to find consolation in believing punishment would be or had been 
meted out to South Carolina by her being in the track of active warfare. 
She should have taken her medicine without so much murmuring. At 
any rate it would have been the manly part to have accepted her own 
responsibility instead of blaming Sherman and his army with destruc- 
tion and pillage caused by the actions of her own soldiery and citizens. 
General Sherman and his army had no desire to leave their homes to 
be at war in South Carolina or anywhere else. They went, however, 
with the same feeling of determined patriotism expressed to this same 
South Carolina by President Andrew Jackson, many years ago when she 
attempted to secede, repeated by us in 1861, viz, "By the eternal the 
Union must and shall be preserved." We four men, dashing along Main 
Street, Columbia, S. C, that morning at that opportune time, are the 
only ones from whom the correct information as to who fired the cotton 
and first pillaged stores could have been secured. When we appeared 
the Confederates soon scampered away. Save the members of our party, 
and we were very busy at something else, there were no Union soldiers 
within a mile and a half of that point. No one there to do such acts 
except the Confederate soldiers, and they were industriously applying the 
torch and pillaging when we appeared along Main Street at about 10 a. m. 

The exploit, too, was attended with as much or more danger to life 
than many acts which called for medals of honor. Our aim was to suc- 
ceed in our undertaking regardless of danger. We succeeded, and in its 
accomplishment the Government was greatly benefited, and we are glad. 

The large Confederate flag, photograph herewith, was captured during 
the exploit by Maj. William H. Goodrell, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers, by 
him found stretched along the upper edge of the north wall of the un- 
finished new Capitol Building, as he, accompanied by the banner bearer, 
Jacob Binkerd, Company B, Thirteenth Iowa Volunteers, displayed the 
Thirteenth Iowa banner over the walls thereof. The flag is made of blue 

15 



Flag captured by Major Goodrell, Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, 
at Columbia, S. C, February 17, 1865. 

bunting, size 20 by 36 feet ; a palmetto tree 10 feet in height forms a 
white insert in the center of the flag ; a white insert in the shape of a 
crescent, measuring 4 feet from point to point ap})ears in the upper left- 
hand corner. 

The following are the focts connected with the ca])ture of this flag, I 
was present, know it to be correct, and am glad to give this statement to the 
memory of one of the most gallant of soldiers and brave as the bravest. 
The flag was captured at Columbia, S. C, Friday, February 17, 1865, by 
then First Lieut. William H. Goodrell, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantrj', 
j)icket officer on the staff' of Gen. William W. Belknaj), commanding the 
Third (Crocker's) Iowa Brigade, Fourth Division, Seventeenth Army 
Corps, and deposited with the State Historical Society of Iowa, at Iowa 
City, Iowa, by General Belknap. 

H. C. McArthur, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers ; 
Brevet Major, Aide-de-camp to General Belknap, 

Commanding Crocker's Iowa Brigade, 
Fourth Division, Seventeenth Ai^my Corps. 

16 



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